“Superman” Soars with $55 Million on Opening Day
Friday Update
According to Cinemadrame News Agency, the initial box office figures suggest that the political discussions surrounding “Superman” have not hindered its performance, with 33% of the weekend’s sales coming from Republican-leaning states. Additionally, nearly 44% of ticket buyers were from densely populated areas, which is a positive sign for the film.
“Superman’s” opening day numbers put it in similar territory to other major superhero films. Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” earned $56.6 million on its opening day, while James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” took in $56 million, and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” made $48.1 million.
By Thursday, “Superman’s” cumulative North American and international sales across 57 countries reached $40 million, with $17.8 million from foreign markets. The top international markets for the film as of Thursday were China ($2.4 million), Mexico ($2.2 million), Brazil ($2 million), France ($1.8 million), Australia ($1.3 million), and South Korea ($1.1 million).
Earlier: “Superman” Logs $21 Million on Opening Night
“Superman,” directed by James Gunn, recorded $21 million on its opening night, breaking the record for the highest-grossing opening night of the year and for Gunn’s career.
Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” had earned $17.5 million on its opening night and $118.4 million in its first three days. Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” held the 2025 record for opening night with $14.5 million.
In “Superman,” David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan star as Superman and Lois Lane, respectively. Nicholas Hoult plays the supervillain Lex Luthor. Anthony Carrigan, star of the series “Barry,” plays the archaeologist Metamorpho. Skyler Gisondo is Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio is Eve Teschmacher, Isabela Merced is Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi is Mister Terrific, María Gabriela de Faría is The Engineer, Wendell Pierce is Daily Planet writer Perry White, and Nathan Fillion is Green Lantern.
Warner Bros. hopes “Superman” will reach $100 million in its first three days, but there is potential for the film to hit $130 million. A determining factor for the film is its positive reviews, boasting an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the second-best rated film for the character after Richard Donner’s 1978 film, which scored 86%.
“Superman’s” opening night sales easily surpassed Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel’s” $9 million in 2013. Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” in 2022 achieved $21.6 million on its opening night and opened with $134 million domestically. The highest-grossing “Superman” film in history on its opening night is “Batman v. Superman” with $27.7 million, which ultimately recorded a three-day opening of $166 million.
RelishMix reports that the film’s tone and its commitment to the characters have been met with positive reactions from moviegoers, with audiences describing it as a film that is “not ashamed” of being a superhero movie. The nostalgic feel of Gunn’s “Superman,” reminiscent of Christopher Reeve’s Superman, has excited many others.
Earlier reports indicated that “Superman” was moving towards a $200 million global opening.
